The present invention relates to a card authorization terminal, and more specifically to a card authorization terminal by which card authorization processing is effected with a host computer when an amount of money used for purchase (transaction amount) is more than a predetermined limit amount and card pseudoauthorization processing is effected without using the host computer when a amount of money used for purchase is the predetermined limit amount or less.
Recently, with the spread of credit cards, transaction processing apparatus have been put into practical use, which can effect card authorization processing by inquiring of a host computer about whether an amount of money used for purchase (amount of money of transaction) can be paid by a credit card (i.e. inspection about the validity of a card and so on) and by displaying the check results. These transaction processing apparatus are called card authorization terminals (CAT).
In the conventional credit card transaction processing, however, the card authorization processing is not effected for every credit card transaction. That is, only when an amount of money for customer's purchase is more than a predetermined amount, the card authorization processing is effected in such a way that transaction is permitted only when the host computer transmits an authorization result indicative of transaction permissibility to the card authorization terminal. On the other hand, when an amount of money for customer's purchase is the predetermined amount or less, transaction is effected without condition. In this case, an operation for each store determines whether an amount of money for customer's purchase is more than the predetermined amount or not.
In the prior-art card authorization terminals, however, since an amount of money for customer's purchase is compared with a predetermined amount by a operator, there exists a problem in that an operator permits transactions (purchase) by mistake without condition, in spite of an amount of money for purchase to be processed for card authorization, so that it is impossible to collect money to be paid. Further, there exists another problem in that a customer, who knows that card authorization processing is not effected when an amount of money for purchase is below a predetermined amount, purchases commodities by use of an improper card.
To overcome these problems, the applicant imagines a card authorization terminal provided with card authorization function in which card authorization is actually effected with inquiring of a host computer when an amount of money for purchase is large, and also with pseudoauthorization function such that an operator pretendently operates as if she or he performs actual card arthorization processing and the terminal does not inquire to a host computer but shows pseudoresponse data on the display without effecting actual card authorization processing when an amount of money for purchase is small.
In the above-mentioned card pseudoauthorization function, all processing data for pseudoauthorization such as card data, the amount of money, etc. are not actually transmitted to the host computer, it is necessary to send slips published in pseudoauthorization processing of the terminal to a credit company periodically in order that data are entered to the host computer. In this method, however, since transaction data are entered to the host computer being delayed and therefore the total amount of money for purchase is not accurate, there exists a problem in that it is impossible to accurately check a credit limit amount when cards are authorization by the host computer.
On the other hand, when the limit amount, on which whether the above-mentioned pseudoauthorization processing is to be effected or not is determined, can be read from the terminal device, there exists another criminal problem in that an operator who knows the limit amount purchases commodities whose price is below the limit amount with use of an unreal card number or the operator teaches this limit amount to a customer in order to make an illegal transaction in cooperation with the customer. Further, since a store manager knows this limit amount, there exists a problem in that he makes an illegal transaction with use of an unreal card, even if the limit amount is not readable.